This ugly, disused courtyard was planted with sharp, spiny succulents. The owner, Sally Gebert, explained that it wasn’t a safe place for her baby, Cody, to play. Don, Scott and Tara transformed the courtyard into a stylish, outdoor living area, which the whole family could enjoy.

How it was done

• All rubbish was cleared away. Don pointed out the position of a Telstra service cable running through the garden bed and was careful not to damage it as he removed the cacti and succulents. Tara potted up the mother-in-law’s tongues (Sansevieria trifasciata) for use indoors, and the other plants were saved for use elsewhere in the garden. (Tips: when moving cacti and succulents with sharp spines, always wear gloves. Wrapping thick material around the plants makes handling safer.)
• Dirt and mould was removed from the walls and floor using a high-pressure gurney (available from hire equipment companies for around $90 a day).
• Tara and Sally chose a  plum-coloured, flat paint called Murowash Cranberry for the walls. This gave a very soft, mottled effect and made the courtyard feel more enclosed and intimate.
• Scott used treated pine frames covered with decking boards to hide the ugly gas meter. The frames were attached to the wall using slotted spaghetti and galvanised 3” nails. Scott left a gap in the decking board face panel so that the meter could easily be read, and an access hole in the side for the on/off knob. The decking board face panel was screwed on, so if a plumber needed to work on the meter it would just be a matter of removing half a dozen screws.  
  

Plants

• Don planted the garden bed with agaves (Agave attenuata), taking care not to damage the telephone line. This spineless succulent has rosettes of soft, blue-green leaves, and is perfectly safe to plant in a child’s play area. (Cost: around $150 for 400mm or 16” pots.)
•  Kalanchoes (Kalanchoe thyrsiflora ‘Flapjacks’) were planted in terracotta pots and hung on the wall. (Tip: put some flywire mesh in the bottom of hanging pots so that the potting mix does not fall out.) ‘Flapjacks’ was released last year and is now widely available in nurseries (about $17 for 140mm or 6” pots). It is a clumping plant growing to around 60cm (24”). Tara chose this plant for the makeover because of its attractive, purple-edged foliage.
• Scott attached some galvanised steel mesh (approx $45 for a 1.8 x 1.2m sheet) to the wall as a feature screen. Tara decorated the mesh with Spanish moss or old man’s whiskers (Tillandsia usneoides). The stems of this rootless plant are covered with silvery white scales, which absorb nutrients and moisture from the air. (Cost: around $10 per bunch.)
  
• As a finishing touch, the potted succulents were mulched with beige coloured gravel.
  

Further information

Murobond paint is available Australia wide. For your closest outlet contact Murobond Coatings, phone (02) 9906 7299, fax (02) 9439 7593.

Cost

The total cost of this makeover was approximately $600. 

Copyright CTC Productions 2003